Beginners question on reloading for two separate 6.5 creedmoors

[yrunvs]

New to reloading rifle ammo and just wanted to verify something. My question pertains to full length resizing brass with my Hornady Custom set of (2) dies. I have a Bergara HMR 6.5 CM and my son has a Ruger Precision 6.5 CM. I have measured the headspace for both rifles from our fired brass and plan to bump them back 2-3/000 from the corresponding measurements. So is it necessary to keep the fired brass from each gun separate prior to reloading? Or, since I'm full length resizing and bumping the shoulder back is that not necessary? Thanks.

 

[ShtrRdy]

If the headspace measure on the brass from both rifles is similar then you might be able to mix the brass. I would take some other measurements first along the body and neck of the cases.

 

[lash]

How close are the two headspace measurements?

 

[lash]

I know a guy who loads and sizes the same for a .260 bolt and a .260 semi. The chambers are real close, so he’s not stressing the brass too much. It helps that he’s found a load that works in both equally well. In his case, it’s only a minor compromise. It is really a case by case decision (pun intended).

 

[yrunvs]

How close are the two headspace measurements?

Very close. Mine is 1.557 his is 1.556.

 

[yrunvs]

If the headspace measure on the brass from both rifles is similar then you might be able to mix the brass. I would take some other measurements first along the body and neck of the cases.

I'll do that. How close would those measurements need to be?

 

[ShtrRdy]

I'll do that. How close would those measurements need to be?

It would be a matter of taking the case with the larger dimensions, running it through the resizing die, then see if the measurements are now smaller than the other case.

 

[Ozzie101]

I have the same issue here; my cases are at 1.562 avg before sizing, once fired brass. I run them through the die to 1.557 using the Wilson gauge and Lyman ammo checker they’re good. Then I run them in my chamber with ease the bolt locks. Now my problem is it does not meet Sammy specs and I bumped the shoulder about .05” wondering what’s the correct headspace for the 6.5 creedmoor… thanks

 

[spife7980]

I have the same issue here; my cases are at 1.562 avg before sizing, once fired brass. I run them through the die to 1.557 using the Wilson gauge and Lyman ammo checker they’re good. Then I run them in my chamber with ease the bolt locks. Now my problem is it does not meet Sammy specs and I bumped the shoulder about .05” wondering what’s the correct headspace for the 6.5 creedmoor… thanks

Your fired cases are 1.562. Bump them back to 1.560. Saami is for the lowest common denominator. You have actual measurements, use them.

 

[Ozzie101]

I failed to mention that this brass was fired out of a different chamber. I have a tikka t3x tac a1 and read somewhere that this rifle has a headspace around 1.557; I will need to collect fired brass from my chamber and start over. But thank you for the advice sir

 

[Ozzie101]

Your fired cases are 1.562. Bump them back to 1.560. Saami is for the lowest common denominator. You have actual measurements, use them.

What happens if I do push back headspace to 0.007”?

 

[lash]

What happens if I do push back headspace to 0.007”?

Nothing huge, but it’s not optimal and is overworking your brass unnecessarily. It’s a fast way to get head separation on your brass.

 

[spife7980]

What happens if I do push back headspace to 0.007”?

Once? Not much. Don’t make a habit of it. Just like bending a paper clip repeatedly, metal can only take so much fatigue so try to minimize it.

Instead of sizing down to try and meet an arbitrary gauge see if you can chamber it. If you can chamber it you have sized down far enough.

 

[Ozzie101]

Once? Not much. Don’t make a habit of it. Just like bending a paper clip repeatedly, metal can only take so much fatigue so try to minimize it.

Instead of sizing down to try and meet an arbitrary gauge see if you can chamber it. If you can chamber it you have sized down far enough.

I see thank you. I figured if I sized it down once then it’s should be fine. Also I heard annexing at the neck will held hold it strength

 

[Aftermath]

I see thank you. I figured if I sized it down once then it’s should be fine. Also I heard annexing at the neck will held hold it strength

Annealing.

Whole big can of worms kind of discussions on that but, yes, you should be annealing.

Brass gets brittle with use. All of that sizing down 0.007" and expanding back into the chamber upon combustion of the main charge works that brass and it gets work hardened. Brittle. It will break like the aforementioned paper clip (or any piece of metal). Flex it back and forth enough times and magically you have 2 pieces.

Annealing relieves some, if not all, of that hardness if done properly.

As @spife7980 said, if you resize "big" once, it's not a huge thing. When I was younger and made less money, I would pick up every piece of brass I could scrounge. I reloaded then because I was poor and free brass was very welcome. I would full length resize so that brass would fit my chamber. After that next firing, it would be fireformed to fit my chamber and then I would only bump the shoulder back about 0.002".

 

[918v]

What happens if I do push back headspace to 0.007”?

Your case may grow .005” more during firing than if you sized -.002”

Also, your bullet sits .005” closer to the lands when you close the bolt. That might cause a flier.

 

[Aftermath]

Also, your bullet sits .005” closer to the lands when you close the bolt. That might cause a flier.

Not to derail this thread but...what?

 

[918v]

Not to derail this thread but...what?

The more you push the shoulder back, the closer the bullet will sit to the rifling. It’s a spatial phenomenon.

 

[Aftermath]

The more you push the shoulder back, the closer the bullet will sit to the rifling. It’s a spatial phenomenon.

Ok...

 

[Ozzie101]

Your case may grow .005” more during firing than if you sized -.002”

Also, your bullet sits .005” closer to the lands when you close the bolt. That might cause a flier.

The reason I pushed back 0.007” because 1.562 would not chamber the brass, after I resized to an avg of 1.557 the brass chambers with ease. Im Running a tikka t3x tac a1 dmr, the unsized brass were not shot by my rifle so I saw on another thread if the brass doesn’t fit in the rifles chamber i would need to sized down 1 brass until it does and don’t use that 1 brass. Then try it on a 2nd brass, chamber it. well it works. Also saw another person reloading with this rifle saying after brass expansion his brass came out to 1.558 avg. I’m keeping COAL at 2.800 with 40gr of h4350, a 140gr eldm, and cci br2. Brass OAL ranges from 1.910 - 1.920. I noted Everything down. Will keep you folks updated. If I could type still

 

[Doom]

While headspace is the primary concern the two chambers may be different in the area of the cartridge base which is not always resized well and could create chambering issues. It is best to keep the brass segregated by rifle and not intermix the brass from each rifle.

 

[Ozzie101]

While headspace is the primary concern the two chambers may be different in the area of the cartridge base which is not always resized well and could create chambering issues. It is best to keep the brass segregated by rifle and not intermix the brass from each rifle.

Thank you I’ll take note of that

 

[acudaowner]

we ran factory length rounds for the longest time through both our 6.5 cm and I could not have been happier with the way they both shot . it gave me time to play with the length while I was testing my loads .

 

[Ozzie101]

This is my current data for my Tikka T3x Tac A1, first batch loads. Do not use this data For your own rifle.
N/A’s are scrapped due to not meeting specs for either one of these categories.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I've been shooting the .260 Rem since shortly after this site was established in 2000-2001, and posting about it since that time; maybe 30,000+ posts on many subjects.

I like the 260 for the fact that it's a derivative of the .308, and shares that with the .243 and 7-08. This allows one to use either of them; preferably the 7-08, by simply running them through the .260 resizing die. It also allows me to use a .308 resize die as a bump die for adjusting shoulder lengths, with the decapper removed..

If others choose to shit on me, so be it; not the first time by miles. Nearly all who did are long gone, and usually end up on my Ignore list until they are, so I don't have to listen to the sound of Jackasses braying.

If one does not have something nice and decent to contribute, don't be contributing Shit for brains quibbles, please.

Greg

 

[Garvey]

I've been shooting the .260 Rem since shortly after this site was established in 2000-2001, and posting about it since that time; maybe 30,000+ posts on many subjects.

I like the 260 for the fact that it's a derivative of the .308, and shares that with the .243 and 7-08. This allows one to use either of them; preferably the 7-08, by simply running them through the .260 resizing die. It also allows me to use a .308 resize die as a bump die for adjusting shoulder lengths, with the decapper removed..

If others choose to shit on me, so be it; not the first time by miles. Nearly all who did are long gone, and usually end up on my Ignore list until they are, so I don't have to listen to the sound of Jackasses braying.

If one does not have something nice and decent to contribute, don't be contributing Shit for brains quibbles, please.

Greg

7mm-08 is my love. I have a 7mm-08 "Rental Rifle" for training those that don't have their own rig. And a 7mm-08 Ackley Improved that goes with me everywhere, every day.

For the 7mm-08, I have necked down .308 Win as well as 7.62X51 Lake City, just to see what I see. They shoot great. And during Obama years, 7mm-08 brass was like hen's teeth. I got my hands on some .243 Win brass and necked it up. I'm still using it to this day. I anneal every two firings.

On the 7mm-08 A.I. this summer, I bought some Peterson .308 SRP and necked it down in a neck only die. It is shooting phenomenal, while fire forming. I jokingly tell friends I've got quite the wildcat going on 7mm-308, Ackley Improved.

 

[Aftermath]

On the 7mm-08 A.I. this summer, I bought some Peterson .308 SRP and necked it down in a neck only die. It is shooting phenomenal, while fire forming. I jokingly tell friends I've got quite the wildcat going on 7mm-308, Ackley Improved.

I've also played around making brass fit my favorite rifle. It's a blueprinted 700 chambered in 7mm-06 Ackley Improved (I like your nomenclature). I did it just to know how. I believe I have enough Peterson brass and other components to last me.
I also have a 6mm-08 Ackley Improved and formed brass for it from 308 and 243 (of course) when I was goofing around with that. I have a pile of SRP brass and components for it to push a 60 gr bullet at 4100 fps! Sort of gruesome on prarie dogs and coyotes.
I'm a huge fan of PO Ackley.
I also have a 223 Ackley Improved I shoot probably more than all of my others combined with 80 gr VLD's at some amazing (to me) ranges and a brand new 338 Lapua Magnum Ackley Improved that I have only fired 20 times with some factory ammo.